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RYA Training Course

Teenagers Yachting Course

Teenagers Yachting Week

5 Day Youth Sailing Courses for 14–17 Year Olds

BOSS Teenagers Yachting Week is a 5 day liveaboard sailing course for young people aged 14–17. The course is suitable for teenagers at a range of experience levels, from those working towards RYA Competent Crew through to confident young sailors preparing for RYA Day Skipper or looking for a more adventurous week afloat.

Whether you are new to cruising yachts, building on previous sailing experience, or ready to take more responsibility onboard, our Teenagers Yachting Week offers practical training, real sailing and a memorable liveaboard experience.

Courses run during the summer holidays and selected school holiday periods. Reservations for 2026 courses can be made by phoning our bookings office on 02380 457733. A £200 deposit is required to secure your booking.

Don’t miss the boat.

A Sailing Course That Matches Your Experience

Teenagers Yachting Week is designed to be flexible. Not every student joins with the same background, and not every student is working towards the same certificate.

Depending on age, experience and ability, students may use the week to work towards:

  • RYA Competent Crew
  • RYA Day Skipper Practical
  • Further sailing experience and confidence-building
  • A possible Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Residential activity

Students are grouped and taught according to their ability and course aims. Some may be learning how to become useful crew members, while others may be taking turns to plan short passages, make decisions and develop skippering skills under instructor supervision.

Suitable for Ages 14–17

The course is suitable for young people aged 14–17.

Students aged 14 or 15 will normally work towards RYA Competent Crew or take part as experienced young sailors developing their confidence and practical skills.

Students aged 16 or 17 who already have the required experience may be suitable for RYA Day Skipper Practical training.

Pupils who are 18, in Year 13 and still in full-time education, may also be able to join our youth courses on their own or with friends in the same year group.

The minimum pre course experience for this course is 5 days, 100 nautical miles and 4 night hours on board a cruising yacht. We would recommend that most students have more experience than this prior to attending this course. Along side command skills, those considering the Day Skipper practical course should have a sound knowledge of the Competent Crew syllabus and be confident with helming and basic sail trim on all points of sail. Day Skipper Course participants should be able to take charge when tacking or gybing and should be able to recognise when close to a gybe situation to avoid any accidental gybes. Students should know the correct order for putting in and taking out reefs, be able to use winches and jammers safely and know how to secure the yacht along side.

**Assumed theoretical knowledge:**

Day Skipper shore based course completion certificate or the equivalent knowledge of someone who has attended the course

**Minimum age:** 16

**Example Itinerary**

Day 1

– 10:00 Arive at BOSS – check in at reception, meet your instructor and fellow crew
– 10:30 Stowage of kit on-board, bunk allocation & safety brief
– 11:15 Deck brief and prepare the yacht for sea
– 12:00 Practice leaving and coming along side pontoons and the use of warps and fenders for tying up a yacht
– 12:30 Lunch on-board
– 13:30 Depart for Solent sailing, practise helming, changing sails and reefing
– 18:00 Arrive at a harbour for the night
– 18:30 Stow sails, deck tidy up and debrief
– 19:00 Dinner on-board
– 20:00 Discuss the days events & knot practise

Day 2

– 07:00 Weather forecast, showers and breakfast
– 08:00 Prepare the yacht of sea
– 09:00 Set off on short passage, Man overboard practise
– 12:00 Anchor for lunch. Whilst at anchor – Keeping a proper look out
– 13:30 Depart anchorage – practise steering a compass course under power and sail
– 14:00 Arrive in port for a short stay. A few hours at leisure
– 18:30 Supper on-board
– 20:00 Depart on night sail (weather permitting)
– 23:50 Arrive in port for the night

Day 3

– 09:00 Breakfast. Passage planning
– 10:00 Depart to sail on passage.
– During the day : points of sail, helming and crewing practice, Discussion of emergency situations.
– Lunch under way
– 17:00 Arrive in harbour, dinghy drills.
– 18:00 Dinner & cinema
– 20:00 Spare evening for night sail (if required)

Day 4

– 07:00 Weather forecast, showers and breakfast
– 08:00 Prepare the yacht of sea
– 09:00 Depart for Solent sailing
– 12:00 Enter harbour for lunch. Ice creams ashore
– 13:00 Depart for afternoon sailing
– 17:00 Arrive in port
– 18:30 Set up BBQ

Day 5

– 07:00 Weather forecast, showers and breakfast
– 08:00 Prepare the yacht of sea
– 09:00 Depart for Solent sailing
– 12:00 Short stop for lunch
– 12:30 Depart for afternoon sailing
– 15:00 Arrive back at Hamble Point, remove kit, clean yacht and fill out logbooks
– 16:00 Certificates awarded and depart

RYA Competent Crew Option

For teenagers who are new to cruising yachts, or who have limited previous experience, the RYA Competent Crew course is the ideal starting point.

During the week, students learn how to become useful, safe and confident members of a yacht’s crew. Training may include:

  • Personal safety onboard
  • Moving safely around the yacht
  • Basic ropework and knots
  • Sail handling
  • Steering under sail and power
  • Keeping a lookout
  • Helping with mooring and anchoring
  • Understanding basic sailing terms
  • Living onboard as part of a crew
  • Working together during a passage

By the end of the course, successful students should have the confidence and understanding to play an active role onboard a cruising yacht.

RYA Day Skipper Option

For older teenagers with the right experience, Teenagers Yachting Week can also be used for RYA Day Skipper Practical training.

Day Skipper candidates must be at least 16 years old and should already have suitable sailing experience before joining the course. They should be confident with basic yacht handling and have navigation knowledge to RYA Day Skipper Shorebased standard.

The Day Skipper level is aimed at students who are ready to begin taking charge. Under the guidance of an RYA instructor, students will be involved in planning passages, preparing the yacht, checking weather and tides, organising the crew and taking turns to act as skipper.

Training may include:

  • Passage planning
  • Pilotage
  • Navigation under sail and power
  • Boat handling in confined spaces
  • Leaving and returning to pontoons
  • Sail selection and reefing
  • Crew briefings
  • Safety management
  • Man overboard recovery
  • Decision-making as skipper

On successful completion, students who reach the required standard may be awarded the RYA Day Skipper Practical certificate.

Experienced Teenage Sailors

Teenagers Yachting Week is also suitable for young sailors who already have some experience but are not necessarily looking for a specific certificate.

For these students, the course offers the chance to gain more sea miles, build confidence, improve practical seamanship and enjoy a proper liveaboard sailing adventure with others of a similar age.

This can be especially useful for teenagers who have already completed Competent Crew, sail dinghies regularly, or have previous cruising experience and want to become more capable onboard.

Gold DofE Residential Opportunity

Our 5 day liveaboard Teenagers Yachting Week may be suitable for the Residential section of the Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

The course gives participants the chance to live onboard, learn new skills, work as part of a crew and take part in a shared activity away from home. This can make it a strong option for Gold DofE participants who want a practical, adventurous and rewarding residential experience.

However, approval is not automatic. If you want to use the course for your Gold DofE Residential section, you must check with your DofE Leader before booking to make sure they are happy to approve it.

Important DofE Group Size Information

Our maximum group size for RYA practical courses is 5 students.

To meet the DofE Gold Residential guidelines, the majority of participants should not already know each other. Because our maximum course size is 5, no more than 2 people on the course can already know each other.

This means that if you are using the course for your Gold DofE Residential section, you can either come on your own or come with one friend.

Please get the course approved by your DofE Leader before registering with us.

From: £850

Step 1: Select Your Dates

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Additional Information

What Is Included?

Teenagers Yachting Week course fees include:

  • Food onboard from lunchtime on the first day
  • All safety equipment
  • Mooring fees
  • BBQ ashore
  • RYA certificate, where successfully awarded

Students need to bring personal kit, suitable clothing, a little spending money and plenty of enthusiasm.

2026 Course Dates

Reservations for 2026 courses can be made over the phone by contacting our bookings office on 02380 457733.

A £200 deposit is required to secure your course booking.

Summer 2026

  • 05–09 August 2026
  • 10–14 August 2026
  • 17–21 August 2026
  • 24–28 August 2026
  • 28 August–01 September 2026

9 Day Combined RYA Day Skipper Theory and Practical Course

  • 01–09 August 2026 – £1,250.00

October Half Term

  • 26–30 October 2026

As numbers are restricted on these youth courses, reservations can only be made over the phone by contacting our bookings office on 02380 457733.

Which Course Level Is Right?

If you are unsure whether to book Competent Crew, Day Skipper or an experience-building sailing week, please contact us before booking.

As a general guide:

  • Newer sailors should normally start with RYA Competent Crew.
  • Experienced 14–15 year olds can build confidence, miles and practical seamanship.
  • Day Skipper candidates must be at least 16 and must have the required experience.
  • Gold DofE participants should check approval with their DofE Leader before booking.

Why Choose BOSS for Teenagers Yachting Week?

BOSS has many years of experience delivering RYA cruising courses, youth sailing programmes and adventure sailing expeditions.

Our Teenagers Yachting Week gives young people the opportunity to live onboard, learn practical skills, become part of a crew and develop confidence on the water. With small group sizes and experienced instructors, students receive supportive coaching while enjoying a genuine sailing adventure.

Whether you are taking your first steps on a cruising yacht, preparing for Day Skipper or looking for an exciting week afloat, Teenagers Yachting Week offers a safe, structured and rewarding way to progress.

Book Your Teenagers Yachting Week

To reserve a place on a 2026 Teenagers Yachting Week, call the BOSS bookings office on 02380 457733.

A £200 deposit is required to secure your booking.

Everything You Need Before You Sail

Get your joining pack for practical details, what to bring, and what to expect on your course.

Joining Details

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FAQs

Find out answers to frequently asked questions

No previous sailing experience is needed. The RYA Competent Crew course is designed for complete beginners, and your instructor will guide you through everything step by step. By the end of the course, you should feel confident helping to sail the yacht, handling ropes, steering and taking part in everyday life on board. All you need to bring is a willingness to learn and get involved. visit our Training or Learn to Sail page for skill‑level requirements.

We recommend comfortable clothing, non‑slip shoes, sunscreen, and any personal items you may need. A full checklist is available on our Preparation page.

Our cancellation and refund terms are outlined on the Terms & Conditions page. If you have questions about rescheduling, our Contact page is the best place to get quick assistance.

We provide a range of sailing experiences including private charters, training, and corporate events.

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